J-FIRE in YOUR COMMUNITY

J-FIRE is still struggling with funding. Erie County seems to find funds for several other programs within the area but just can't seem to find funds for programs that make a difference to the families in the County. Not just our program, but many human service programs throughout the community. We just can't seem to get the message across that fire prevention and fire safety education is important. That is why our numbers are down because the education is not there to inform the parents that the program is there for them. The funds are not there the help the families who have children playing with fire for recreation.

Our staff has been cut; we are working on an all-volunteer basis. Children are still setting fires and people are still getting burned. We are still here and struggling, but only our fire departments who support us year after year and our faithful donors who contribute out of their paychecks every year know how important our program really is. To those who have supported us and continue to support us, Thank you. To those who think the problem has gone away, GUESS AGAIN ! You may not hear about it, but it is still there. We are still compiling the numbers, and even with a low number of interventions, our property loss is still going to be close to half a million dollars. And that is just reported to us. Imagine if all of the fires that children set were reported to us; the numbers would be a lot higher.

 Times have changed. We can no longer call our fire departments and let them know when an intervention is set up in their fire district. There are laws telling us that if the referral does not come from the fire department, we can't call the fire department. So you may not know about the intervention that is going on right down the street from the fire station. That doesn't mean we are not alive and doing business; it just means we can't talk to the fire departments about it. Our children are protected. They are precious commodities and we are keeping them safe.

Yes we are still struggling, but never giving up. To our sustaining members:

Bellevue Vol. Fire Co.; Big Tree Vol. Fire Co.; Brighton Vol. Fire Co.; Cleveland Hill Fire Co.; Colden Fire Department; Depew Fire Dept.;  Doyle Vol. Hose #2; East Seneca Vol. Fire Co.; East Seneca Ladies Auxilliary; Ellwood Fire Company; Forks Fire Company; Highland Hose Fire Co.;  Lake Erie Beach Vol. Fire Co.; Lake Shore Fire Co.; Newton Abbott Vol.Fire Co. North Evans Fire Co.; Rescue Vol. Hose Co.; Scranton Vol. Fire Co.;Sloan Active Hose Co.; Springville Vol. Fire Co.; South Line Vol. Fire Co; Twin District Fire Company.   Thank you all of you for your continued support. Without you we would not be able to continue our interventions and stop children from sustaining injuries, property damage and even death from their inappropriate fire activity.

We would appreciate a sustaining membership from the other seventy-four fire companies. Memberships begin at $50 to $200. We are just asking for donations to help us survive. Nothing more. Just to stay above water. Please help!!!!

Thank you to you all; Without you we would not be here.

How far is $3,000 going to go?  How many programs is J-FIRE going to be able to do? How long can J-FIRE stay in Western New York and provide the services that they are giving on the money that they have left?  These are questions that we have been asking ourselves and many others for the past five years. We no longer have the safety house and we sold our truck that went with it. Those are the funds that we are working off of at this time. The rent and utilities total approximately $9,000 to $10,000 per year and we barely have enough to get us through the rest of the year. Are we going to let the program dissolve and let another tragedy happen like it has so many times before? This area is not as poor as we thought. There are funds out there. Where is that someone to come forward and rescue J-FIRE. Hasn't J-FIRE rescued their share of children and families in WNY?  If you are out there, please help.   

Active Members of J-FIRE are:

Sandy Artim - BOD-Interventionist, Community Events

Allen Beltz - Community Events

Tony Bienias - Interventionist

Robert Bliss - Interventionist/Fund Raiser/BOD

Rocco Brindisi - President

Joshua Broad - Fundraiser

Shannon Bukaty - Fund Raiser, Education Consultant

Gerald & Marian Butler - Fund Raisers &  Comminity Events

Shelia Council - BOD and interventionist

Catherine Ende - Child Interventionists

Tom Etopio - NF Region Coordinator/ Interventionist

Janice Szablicki - Secretary/Interventionists/Fundraiser

Diane, Brian & Caitlylin Guy - Fundraiser

James Guy - Chairman of the Board/ Fundraiser/Interventionist

Melissa Hoch - Fundraiser

Ashley Hoch - Interventionist

Joseph Ianni - BOD/Fundraiser

Lt. Mark Morgante - Buffalo Fire Department Interventionist

Tim O'Brien - Interventionist/Fundraiser

Bob O'Keeffe - BOD/Region Coordinator/Interventionist/Fundraiser

Chief Robert Stasio - City of Buffalo Region Coordinator/Interventionist

Don Trzepacz - Interventionist

Patricia Whittington - Office Assistant/Fund Raiser/Community Events

Tim O'Brien - Interventionist

Dan Maciejewski - Interventionist

Det. Kevin Mahoney - Erie County Sheriff liason

Brian Musielak - Depew FD/ Interventionist